Knicks interview Timberwolves coach, but it's not Chris Finch
The New York Knicks are still searching for Tom Thibodeau's successor on the sidelines. There have been failures along the way in this part of New York's offseason journey, with multiple teams shooting down the Knicks' requests to interview their coaches for the job.
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of New York's prospects, but it's not head coach Chris Finch, who has guided Anthony Edwards and company to back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference finals. Instead, it is Finch's assistant, Micah Nori, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
'The New York Knicks are interviewing Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori for the team's head coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Now three candidates – Nori and two former head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins – have done formal interviews for the Knicks' vacancy,' Charania shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday morning.
The Knicks decided it was time to move in a different direction when it comes to the team's coaching following a deep run in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, where they got ousted in the Eastern Conference finals by Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. In five seasons under Thibodeau's watch, New York reached the playoffs four times and reached at least the second round of the postseason thrice.
While Nori lacks head coaching experience, he has an extensive NBA resume as part of several staffs in the pros. It also apparently did not discourage the Knicks from interviewing him.
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Nori, who turned 51 years old in April, started his coaching career in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors when the team was still coached by Jay Triano in 2009. He later took his talents to the Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons before landing a gig with the Timberwolves in 2021.
Nori isn't quite a familiar name yet among basketball fans, but he's earned some attention for his amusing interviews where he uses quotes from Ted Lasso, the character of the hit Apple TV show.
'I always laugh when I would watch, you know, interviews with assistant coaches,' Nori said in 2024 (h/t Amy Hockert of FOX 9). 'And I feel bad because you kind of get the same question. So that's where it kind of came from. Just like in the 30 and 45 seconds, I thought two things. One, tell viewers the truth. You know what's really going on here. And then the other thing is to try to have a little bit of levity or humor, just, again, over the course of seven months and the monotony of the game, it's fun to break that up.'
Related: Knicks rumors: Insider says he'd 'bet' on New York making NBA Draft-night deal
Related: Former Nets star Kevin Durant responds to Knicks jeer by saying he's 'Net for life'
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New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
Yankees drafted player after he admitted he drew swastika on Jewish student's door in college. Why?
When the New York Yankees drafted University of Utah shortstop Core Jackson in the fifth round in July, they were aware that he had drawn a swastika on the dorm room door of a Jewish student in 2021, when he was a 17-year-old freshman at the University of Nebraska. Jackson voluntarily called teams to tell them about his actions before the 2024 draft. In a phone interview with The Athletic, Jackson said that he was 'blackout drunk' when he drew the swastika, and that he had no recollection of the incident or why he did it. He said he knows that he made a 'really stupid mistake,' and that he has learned and grown since that time and is no longer 'the person he was when it all happened.' Advertisement The University of Nebraska declined to discuss any specifics of the incident, and the university police did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Yankees amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer said the team's decision followed the most thorough 'due diligence' look into a player in his 23 years on the job, and that it was cleared directly with owner Hal Steinbrenner. The draft pick came after multiple members of the organization had conversations with Jackson and those close to him, and after discussing the situation with multiple high-ranking Jewish members of the club, including team president Randy Levine, who supported the decision to draft Jackson. The club, however, did not speak with anyone at Nebraska about the incident, according to Oppenheimer. Jackson also was charged with driving under the influence on Utah's campus in September 2024. According to his agent, Blake Corosky of True Gravity Baseball, the charge was later reduced to impaired driving, a misdemeanor. Corosky said Jackson had performed community service, received substance abuse training and paid fines. Jackson said he hasn't 'touched a drop of alcohol' in the months since. Oppenheimer said he thought the swastika incident 'affected (Jackson's) draft status' and was likely part of teams' calculus when he went undrafted in 2024. (Jackson transferred to a junior college for the 2023 season and played for Utah the past two seasons). 'I think that his tool set, his athleticism, his performance was definitely something that would have gone a lot higher in the draft,' the scouting director added. The Yankees drafted Jackson at No. 164 overall this July, signing him to a bonus of $147,500, well under the pick's $411,1000 slot value. 'I think it's important that it is part of my story,' said Jackson, now 21. 'I have this platform now that God has given me, and I can share my story about his forgiveness.' Advertisement The greater New York area was home to about 1.4 million people who identified as Jewish as of 2023, according to a study by the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York, making it the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel. The Yankees were 'looking to find the good in this,' Oppenheimer said. 'He's shown his accountability here,' Oppenheimer said. 'I think his actions have shown his remorse. He's acknowledged it. I think he's taken the right steps to continue to learn, to understand what he's done.' Jackson said he was so drunk the night he drew the swastika, in October 2021, that he blacked out and doesn't remember any of the incident. He claims that he didn't know who lived in the dorm room, and said that he 'broke down in tears' the next day when someone told him what he had done. 'I felt like the worst person in the world,' he said. 'I don't want there to be any excuses for my actions.' He said he wanted to apologize to the student, but that campus police told him to not contact them. He said the University of Nebraska fined him, had him undergo basic sensitivity training online and made him perform community service after the incident, but that there were 'no other repercussions.' He was not arrested, and he played on the university's baseball team the following spring. A Nebraska spokesperson declined to comment on the situation, but said that it 'takes discrimination and similar allegations very seriously and has policies and procedures in place to rapidly respond to student concerns.' The Athletic was not able to identify or speak with the victim, or to independently verify Jackson's version of events. A Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the University of Nebraska asking for documents pertaining to the incident had not received a response at the time of publication. Jackson played for the Nebraska baseball team in 2022, hitting .210 in 44 games, but left the school that summer. He described his freshman year as 'being in a dark place,' and said that he departed because he was not 'growing in my faith or getting better at baseball.' Jackson said he didn't have any Division I offers upon leaving Nebraska, so he played his sophomore year at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, hitting .321 with four homers, 33 RBIs and a .907 OPS. He was eligible for the draft in 2023 but wasn't selected, and then enrolled at the University of Utah, where in 2024 he hit .363 with four home runs, 41 RBIs and a .979 OPS as a junior. That spring, he began attracting the attention of MLB teams intrigued by his arm strength, right-handed power and athleticism. Advertisement At the end of his first interview with a Boston Red Sox scout, Jackson was asked if there was anything else he wanted to talk about. Jackson told him about the swastika incident. 'Everybody found out about it (then),' said Corosky, Jackson's agent. 'Including us.' After hearing the story from Jackson, Corosky said he considered no longer advising the shortstop. Corosky also represented Jacob Steinmetz, an Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect and the first practicing Orthodox Jewish player ever drafted. As a courtesy, Corosky said that he called Jacob's father, Elliot, who is the head men's basketball coach at Yeshiva University, a Division III Orthodox Jewish school in New York City. He wanted Elliot to be aware of what had happened. Corosky told Elliot Steinmetz that Jackson appeared 'extremely remorseful,' but also 'doesn't (understand) exactly what he did.' After Steinmetz's initial anger faded, he suggested that Corosky consider trying to educate Jackson about antisemitism. A few hours later, Steinmetz called Jackson. 'Right away,' he said, 'you could tell (Jackson) was the nicest, sweetest kid in the world, (but) dumb as rocks when it came to these kinds of issues.' According to Steinmetz, Jackson hadn't seemed to fully grasp the dark history behind the swastika — the symbol that represented the German Nazi Party in the 20th century and is still being used by neo-Nazis worldwide. Jackson told Steinmetz that his education on the symbol was limited. Jackson grew up in a Christian household in Wyoming, Ontario, a rural town about 30 minutes from the Michigan border, and told The Athletic that he had hardly encountered Jewish people or learned about Jewish history in school. Steinmetz had a point he wanted to impress upon Jackson. 'If I walked into a hall and saw a swastika, I'd be pissed off,' Steinmetz said. 'My grandparents would be freaked out and terrified by it.' Advertisement Corosky ultimately told Jackson he would continue advising him, but under two conditions. First, Jackson would have to call a representative from each of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball and describe what he did. He told Jackson 'not to pull any punches' no matter how difficult it was to talk about. Second, Jackson would have to work with Steinmetz on 'some intense, gut-wrenching understanding of why what he did was so hurtful and awful.' Jackson agreed. 'Obviously,' he said of calling teams to inform them, 'it wasn't easy, but it was part of growing up and understanding to take ownership of my actions.' Most scouts told Jackson they appreciated his candidness. Steinmetz reached out to the head of Holocaust studies at Yeshiva, who put him in contact with Ann Squicciarini, then a graduate student at the school. Squicciarini, who is Christian, had enrolled in Yeshiva's Holocaust education program in the wake of two Jewish students being attacked in her native Brooklyn in May 2021. Squicciarini designed a five-week course for Jackson, including video and reading assignments, and the pair met for an hour each week. Squicciarini logged everything, and sent post-session reports to Steinmetz. 'He was attentive and engaged,' Squicciarini said. Neither she nor Steinmetz were paid to work with Jackson; both said they wanted to use education to fight hate. Ari Kohen, the director of the Harris Center for Judaic Studies at Nebraska, said that it's 'absolutely crucial' for society to learn how to teach antisemitism and preach awareness of 'all forms of bigotry, truthfully, to young people today.' 'I don't feel that we have fully figured it out at this point,' said Kohen, who was at the Harris Center when Jackson drew the swastika but had not been aware of the incident before being contacted by The Athletic. 'Especially with how quickly our culture changes, thanks to social media, thanks to the meme-ification of all these things.' Advertisement It's important to try to educate someone who commits an act of hate, Kohen said. 'If we drive to punish,' he said, 'that doesn't allow us to take that teachable opportunity. There's a lot that I think we miss.' Steinmetz agreed. 'It's not redeemable if you think it's just a joke,' he said. 'It's redeemable if you do the work, take the path back (and) prove to people you're not just doing it to get a job out of it.' Oppenheimer, the Yankees' scouting director, has known Utah head coach Gary Henderson for more than 40 years. Henderson called him about Jackson in the fall of 2024 — well after the Yankees were aware of what Jackson had done. Other teams had been 'very active in trying to understand the situation,' including the Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, Corosky said. Jackson worked out for the Detroit Tigers and the Yankees. Henderson told Oppenheimer that Jackson was 'really playing well' and that 'he's turned a corner. He's been a good person, a good teammate.' That's when the Yankees' conversations began. Jackson met twice with Steve Nagy, the Yankees' scout who covers Utah as part of the Four Corners region, who 'heard the story for himself,' Oppenheimer said. Oppenheimer himself talked to Corosky, and then with Jackson and Steinmetz. Oppenheimer also met via video conference call with Jackson and Yankees director of mental conditioning Chris Passarella, who signed off on the decision. Yankees national cross checker Mike Wagner, who is Jewish, met with Steinmetz. Oppenheimer met with assistant director of player development Stephen Swindal Jr., who is also Jewish, to discuss Jackson. Oppenheimer also called general manager Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner, who rarely gets involved in player selection, and arranged a conference call that Oppenheimer attended with Steinmetz and Levine. The Yankees did not speak with anyone from the University of Nebraska, according to Oppenheimer, but they felt their process was thorough. 'I don't think we've ever done this,' Oppenheimer said regarding the breadth of their inquiry into a single draftee. '(Yankees brass) has knowledge of the players we think we're going to be involved in, but not to the degree that they needed to be aware of (this) situation.' Advertisement 'I feel that moving forward,' Oppenheimer said, 'we've got a good citizen and a good person and a good baseball player.' Minutes after the Yankees drafted Jackson on July 14, he called Steinmetz. 'He was thanking me for everything I did,' Steinmetz said, 'how much it means to him, how he's not going to let me down and how he's going to get to work.' Oppenheimer said he already made the player development staff aware of Jackson's history, and that Jackson has had no issues since joining the Yankees, who quickly promoted him to High-A Hudson Valley. Jackson said he understands that people may be upset by his past. 'I would ask for their forgiveness and let them know I'm not the same person I was when that happened,' he said. 'I've grown up. I've learned. I've reconciled. I've done the things I needed to do to learn about it.' (Top photo of Core Jackson: Tyler Tate / AP Photo) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
CNN
32 minutes ago
- CNN
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu crash out of revamped US Open mixed doubles as Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud reach semifinals
The much-talked-about pairing of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz fell to an early exit in the US Open's mixed doubles competition on Tuesday, losing their first-round match and failing to win a set. Raducanu and Alcaraz, who have both lifted the US Open singles title on this court, lost 4-2, 4-2 against top seeds Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, their partnership lasting just 50 minutes inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. The highlight of their short-lived campaign came in the second set when Alcaraz hunted down a wide and dipping backhand from Draper, swiping it down the line and receiving a look of astonishment from Raducanu. In a reimagined competition comprising almost entirely of singles specialists, Draper and Pegula fared better than most, later defeating Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev 4-1, 4-1 for a spot in the semifinals. 'I don't know what I was expecting, but I think it's been pretty good so far, especially after not competing for a while,' said Draper, who was playing his first matches since a second-round exit at Wimbledon last month. 'I'm happy with the way I'm playing. It's all about having a good partner as well – that's true.' Pegula, a US Open singles finalist last year, and Draper will play third seeds Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud for a spot in the final on Wednesday. Świątek and Alcaraz both lifted singles titles at the Cincinnati Open on Monday before flying into New York on a private jet, making for a hectic and congested schedule with this year's mixed doubles event taking place the week before the main tournament. 'Everyone should show some appreciation to Iga today because she got to her hotel 12 hours ago at 2:30 a.m. and she's here playing, so thank you so much, Iga,' Ruud said in an on-court interview after their quarterfinal win. The new mixed doubles format has stirred controversy in the tennis community. Undoubtedly, there have been more eyeballs on the event and fans have a unique opportunity to see the game's biggest stars play alongside and against each other, but it comes at the expense of doubles specialists losing the chance to win a grand slam. The 16 pairs were playing a shortened format of first to four games across three sets, with no advantage after deuce and a 10-point tie break instead of a full third set. Prize money for the winning pair stands at $1 million, a huge increase of $800,000 from 2024. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the only doubles specialists in the draw – defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori – won both of their matches, defeating Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz and then Karolina Muchová and Andrey Rublev. 'Honestly, we felt a bit before stepping on court our mission was to play this tournament,' Vavassori told reporters. 'We were not sure during the year. For us, it was important to send a message before the tournament. 'When we got the wild card … I was grateful to play. At least there were not so many doubles players. We are also playing for them. I think it's important to show also that doubles players are great players. 'I think our main goal in the future will be to change a little bit the narrative because singles players are amazing on singles, but doubles players are amazing in doubles. If doubles players play against singles, sometimes they play better because they are more organized.' Errani and Vavassori will continue their title defense against the American pairing of Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison, a last-minute entry into the competition, in Wednesday's semifinals.
New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ranking NBA 2025 offseason for every team Nos. 20-11: Where do Knicks, Sixers, Bulls fall?
After going through the bottom-10 teams in the first part of my annual recap of every NBA team's offseason, we arrive at the 10 in the middle. The top 10 will be revealed Thursday. Again, for the uninitiated: These aren't power rankings. They're just an opinion of how well each team did, or didn't, improve during the offseason. Most importantly: • If your team is ranked in the top 10, it doesn't mean I love your team. • If your team is ranked in the bottom 10, it doesn't mean I hate your team. Advertisement The one big question: Is the team better now than at the end of last season? The ranking reflects the belief on whether, and how much, that is so. In the meantime, we continue with teams 20-11. Most of these teams made significant changes to their roster, both through the draft and trades, and they either fit the direction in which the team was already going or were a welcome corrective to a philosophy that wasn't working. David Aldridge's 2025 offseason rankings: Nos. 30-21 2024-25 record: 49-33; lost in Western Conference finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-1 Added: C Joan Beringer (first round, 17th pick); C Rocco Zikarsky (draft rights acquired from Lakers via Bulls, two-way); F Enrique Freeman (two-way); Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore approved as co-owners Lost: F Nickeil Alexander-Walker (signed with Hawks); C Luka Garza (signed with Celtics); F/C Rasheer Fleming (draft rights traded to Suns); C Jesse Edwards (waived) Retained: F Julius Randle (three years, $100M); F/C Naz Reid (five years, $125M); F Joe Ingles (one year, $3.6M) Extended: None Returning from injury: None The skinny: Another team whose success forced it to make tough second apron calls. In Minnesota's case, it couldn't bring back all of Reid, Randle and Alexander-Walker in free agency, so the Wolves are betting that second-year man Terrence Shannon Jr. can take up some of the slack from NAW's departure. Interesting that the Wolves drafted and traded for multiple bigs in the draft. Rudy Gobert is still pretty good most nights — ask the Lakers about Game 5 of their series with Minny — but he's starting to slow some at 33, and he's expensive, and …well, they got multiple bigs out of the draft. Do what you will with that information. 2024-25 record: 36-46; did not make playoffs Advertisement Added: G Damian Lillard (three years, $42M); Jrue Holiday (acquired from Celtics); G Blake Wesley (one year, $2.3M); C Yang Hansen (draft rights acquired from Grizzlies); G Caleb Love (two-way); G Sean Pedulla (Exhibit 10); F Andrew Carr (Exhibit 10); investment group led by Tom Dundon in agreement to purchase Trail Blazers Lost: G Anfernee Simons (traded to Celtics); C Deandre Ayton (waived after contract buyout via stretch provision) Retained: None Returning from injury: C Robert Williams III (arthroscopic surgery, left knee) The skinny: Whether or not Lillard, who tore his Achilles in April, plays a second this season for the Blazers doesn't matter; this is a win-win, with Lillard again being able to mentor Scoot Henderson while getting a year to rehab in familiar environs. Portland thinks Yang has a chance to be a star. But most everyone else had a second-round grade on him pre-draft. And, the Blazers had plenty of big-man depth already in Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III and Duop Reath. Hey, go for Yang if you believe in him. But he had better pan out. Similarly, the Blazers need Holiday to help lift them to playoff level. It better work, considering they gave up the (nine years) younger Simons in the exchange. 2024-25 record: 39-43; lost in Play-In round Added: F Isaac Okoro (acquired from Cavaliers); F Noa Essengue (first round, 12th pick); C Lachlan Olbrich (two-way); F Emanuel Miller (two-way); G Yuki Kawamura (two-way); G Caleb Grill (Exhibit 10); G Wooga Poplar (Exhibit 10) Lost: G Lonzo Ball (traded to Cavaliers); C Rocco Zikarsky (draft rights traded to Timberwolves); G Jahmir Young (waived) Retained: G Tre Jones (three years, $24M) Extended: Coach Billy Donovan Returning from injury: G Ayo Dosunmu (left shoulder subluxation); Jones (left foot sprain) Advertisement The skinny: The Bulls aren't getting any points for speed, but they continued their methodical buildup by drafting Essengue, who could team up nicely with last year's first-round pick, Matas Buzelis, and form a promising young forward tandem. Coby White's big jump the last two years made Ball expendable, so getting more length and defensive versatility in Okoro for him was a decent return. Getting Josh Giddey extended before camp is the next expected step. But at some point, Chicago is going to have to be more intentional in making bigger moves that can get it out of Play-In round hell. Unless it's cool staying in Play-In round hell. 2024-25 record: 40-42; lost in Play-In round Added: G Dennis Schröder (three years, $45M); F Dario Šarić (acquired from Denver); F Doug McDermott (one year, $3.6M); F Drew Eubanks (one year, $3.1M); F Nique Clifford (draft rights acquired from Thunder); C Maxime Raynaud (second round, 42nd pick); G Daeqwon Plowden (two-way); G Isaiah Stephens (two-way); C Dylan Cardwell (two-way); F Pat McCaffery (Exhibit 10); G Isaac Nogueś Gonzalez (Exhibit 10); 2029 second-round pick (acquired from Pistons); 2029 second-round pick (acquired from Pistons) Lost: C Jonas Valančiūnas (traded to Nuggets); F Jake LaRavia (signed with Lakers); 2027 first-round pick (traded to Thunder); 2026 second-round pick (traded to Pistons) Retained: F Keon Ellis (team exercised $2.3M option for 2025-26); C Isaac Jones (team exercised $1.9 option for 2025-26) Extended: None Returning from injury: G Malik Monk (left calf strain) The skinny: Don't love the JV-Šarić swap. Yes, you save a little money (and maybe that's how Sac could afford Schröder), but you're still losing Valančiūnas's value as one of the better backup centers in the league. Schröder has been solid in most of his non-Warriors stops over the years; his toughness should help. And Sacramento did well in the draft, considering its positioning; coming away with two solid rotational pieces in Clifford and Raynaud was quality work from new GM Scott Perry and his front office. If Sac manages to snag Jonathan Kuminga from the Warriors after this is published, I'll revise the offseason … upward. Advertisement 2024-25 record: 24-58; did not make playoffs Added: F Trendon Watford (two years, $5.3M); G V.J. Edgecombe (first round, third pick); F Johni Broome (second round, 35th pick); G Hunter Sallis (two-way); F Dominick Barlow (two-way); F Jabari Walker (two-way); F/C Igor Miličić Jr. (Exhibit 10); F Izan Almanza (Exhibit 10) Lost: F Guerschon Yabusele (signed with Knicks); G Ricky Council IV (waived); F Alex Reese (waived) Retained: F Kelly Oubre (player option, $8.4M); G Eric Gordon (one year, $6.3M); C Andre Drummond (player option, $5M); G Kyle Lowry (one year, $3.6M); G Justin Edwards (three years, $7.1M) Extended: None Returning from injury: C Joel Embiid (arthroscopic surgery, left knee); F Paul George (left adductor, left knee injuries); G Tyrese Maxey (sprained right finger); G Jared McCain (torn meniscus, left knee) The skinny: You can definitely see a post-Embiid skeleton coming into shape in Philly, with McCain, Maxey and Edgecombe becoming a potentially wildly fun trio in the coming years. For now, Philly still holds out hope that the 31-year-Embiid can finally recover after getting shut down the last seven weeks of the regular season to have his meniscus repaired. But that's a hope that has fallen on deaf ears in the Philadelphia fan base, who've increasingly tuned the 76ers out. It's hard to see Philly going past next season with the big man as its lodestar if he can't show definitively that he can again handle the load of 60-plus games and get to the playoffs healthy. 2024-25 record: 51-31; lost in Eastern Conference finals to the Indiana Pacers, 4-2 Added: F Guerschon Yabusele (two years, $11.2M); G Jordan Clarkson (one year, $3.6M); F Mohamed Diawara (draft rights acquired from Clippers); F/C Luka Mitrović (draft rights acquired from Clippers); F Dink Pate (Exhibit 10); hired coach Mike Brown Advertisement Lost: G Kobe Sanders (draft rights traded to Clippers); F P.J. Tucker (team declined 2025-26 option); fired coach Tom Thibodeau Retained: C Ariel Hukporti (team exercised $1.96M 2025-26 option) Extended: F Mikal Bridges (four years, $150M) Returning from injury: None The skinny: If the Knicks hadn't fired Thibs after the franchise's most successful season in a quarter-century, they'd be ranked higher. If the Knicks hadn't brought in two quality vets in Yabusele and Clarkson to improve their middling bench, they'd be ranked lower. Brown isn't materially different from Thibodeau defensively; the hope is he can make New York a little more diverse offensively — in a different voice. He is a two-time Coach of the Year with more than 450 wins on his ledger, so it's not a bad bet on management's part. But the expectations after making the conference finals — yet still letting Thibodeau go — are ginormous. 2024-25 record: 48-34; lost in Eastern Conference first round to the Indiana Pacers, 4-1 Added: C Myles Turner (four years, $108M); G Cole Anthony (two years, $5.6M); G Gary Harris (two years, $7.5M); F Bogoljub Marković (second round, 47th pick); F Amir Coffey (one year); G Mark Sears (two-way) Lost: C Brook Lopez (signed with Clippers); G Damian Lillard (buyout via stretch provision); G Pat Connaughton (traded to Hornets); G Vasilije Micić (waived following buyout) Retained: F Bobby Portis (three years, $44M); G Gary Trent, Jr. (two years, $7.4M); F Taurean Prince (two years, $7.1M); G Kevin Porter, Jr. (two years, $10.5M); C Jericho Sims (two years, $5.2M); G Ryan Rollins (three years, $12M); F Chris Livingston (one year, $2.3M) Extended: None Returning from injury: None The skinny: You can't say the Bucks don't turn over every stone to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. They've burned through much of their future draft stock; they've cycled through coaches; they've traded impact players — and now, they're setting $113 million on fire by waving Lillard and stretching his contract to be able to sign Turner. Turner's a great fit, and he's eight years younger than Lopez. And it was easier cutting Lillard knowing he's likely to miss the season. And Anthony will pick up some of the slack. But, still. No one's ever eaten this much money before. Milwaukee's financial flexibility will be compromised through the rest of the Greek Freak's prime. Advertisement 2024-25 record: 64-18; lost in Eastern Conference semifinals to the Indiana Pacers, 4-1 Added: G Lonzo Ball (acquired from Chicago); F Larry Nance Jr. (one year, $3.6M); G Tyrese Proctor (second round, 49th pick); F Saliou Niang (second round, 58th pick); G Luke Travers (two-way); F Chaney Johnson (Exhibit 10); F Norchad Omier (Exhibit 10) Lost: F Isaac Okoro (traded to Chicago); G Ty Jerome (signed with Grizzlies); F Chuma Okeke (team declined 2025-26 option) Retained: G Sam Merrill (four years, $38M) Extended: GM Koby Altman Returning from injury: G Darius Garland (left toe surgery) The skinny: The Cavs enter a key year of their contending window with their current core. Ball should be both a schematic and rotational fit, finally giving Cleveland a defensive-oriented guard with size to play alongside Garland and/or Donovan Mitchell. But Cleveland still feels a shooter short after losing Jerome and his .437 firepower from deep over the past two seasons. A full year of De'Andre Hunter will help some in that regard, but the Cavs got worked by Indiana in the second round, and 3-point shooting was a key culprit. Cleveland went 57 of 194 from deep against Indiana: .294. Yikes. 2024-25 record: 18-64; did not make playoffs Added: G CJ McCollum (acquired from Pelicans); F Cam Whitmore (acquired from Rockets); G Malaki Branham (acquired from Spurs); G Dillon Jones (acquired from Thunder); C Marvin Bagley III (one year, $2.2M); G Tre Johnson (first round, sixth pick); F Will Riley (draft rights acquired from Jazz); F Jamir Watkins (second round, 43rd pick); G Kadary Richmond (Exhibit 10); G Keshon Gilbert (Exhibit 10); 2026 second-round pick (acquired from Spurs); 2027 second-round pick (acquired from Hornets); 2029 second-round pick (acquired from Thunder); 2031 second-round pick (acquired from Jazz); 2032 second-round pick (acquired from Jazz) Advertisement Lost: G Jordan Poole (traded to Pelicans); F Saddiq Bey (traded to Pelicans); F/C Kelly Olynyk (traded to Spurs); F Colby Jones (traded to Thunder); G Marcus Smart (waived following buyout); C Richaun Holmes (waived); G Blake Wesley (waived after buyout); F Jaylen Martin (waived); G Walter Clayton, Jr. (draft rights traded to Jazz); F Micah Peavy (draft rights traded to Pelicans); 2026 second-round pick (traded to Rockets); 2029 second-round pick (traded to Rockets) Retained: C Tristan Vukčević (two-way); F Anthony Gill (one year, $2.67M) Extended: None Returning from injury: F Bilal Coulibaly (right hamstring); F Corey Kispert (left thumb surgery) The skinny: Washington crapped out in the lottery, but did well by getting the sharpshooting Johnson at No. 6, then acquiring the 21-year-old Whitmore from Houston. Both should immediately leap to the top of the Wizards' offensive chart. Washington thinks Riley has real playmaking potential. McCollum is this year's rinse-and-repeat veteran who'll be in town for a while before moving on. The bump up in offensive talent and improvement from the returning core should mean a few more wins next season, but not enough of them to jeopardize the Wizards' chief goal — holding onto their 2026 first-rounder by being a bottom-eight team. 2024-25 record: 17-65, did not make playoffs Added: F Kevin Love (acquired from Heat); F Kyle Anderson (acquired from Heat); C Jusuf Nurkić (acquired from Hornets); F Georges Niang (acquired from Celtics); F Ace Bailey (first round, fifth pick); G Walter Clayton, Jr. (draft rights acquired from Wizards); G John Tonje (second round, 53rd pick); F Oscar Tshiebwe (two-way); C Steven Crowl (Exhibit 10); G Matthew Murrell (Exhibit 10); 2027 second-round pick (acquired from Clippers); 2027 second-round pick (acquired from Celtics); 2031 second-round pick (acquired from Celtics); hired president of basketball operations Austin Ainge Advertisement Lost: G Collin Sexton (traded to Hornets); F/C John Collins (traded to Clippers); F RJ Luis Jr. (traded to Celtics); G Jordan Clarkson (waived after contract buyout; signed with Knicks); G Johnny Juzang (waived); G Jaden Springer (waived); F Will Riley (draft rights traded to Wizards); 2025 second-round pick (traded to Wizards); 2030 second-round pick (traded to Hornets) 2031 second-round pick (traded to Wizards); 2032 second-round pick (traded to Wizards) Retained: None Extended: None Returning from injury: F Cody Williams (mononucleosis); F Taylor Hendricks (fractured right fibula/dislocated right ankle) The skinny: It's all about Ace. If he's actually cool now with playing in the Wasatch, the Jazz had a great draft. He's a huge talent, and his ceiling is worth taking the big swing. But if this blows up in Utah's face in two or three years … oy. Ainges pere et fils don't blink, though, and they'll do everything needed to surround Bailey with the personal and team support needed for him to get off to a good start. Clayton is just the kind of high-character, winning player the Jazz needed more of in their building. Another lottery season awaits, but there's a Rockets-like path back to relevance through the draft to which Utah appears to be committed. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Ryan Stetz / NBAE, Amanda Loman, Michael Reaves /Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
